


WE CAN BE HEROES. 17-btvs-ats-ucsl

by iskierka



Category: Angel - Fandom, Buffy
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iskierka/pseuds/iskierka





	WE CAN BE HEROES. 17-btvs-ats-ucsl

Title: We Can Be Heroes  
Author: Briar  
E-mail: briargoeth at yahoo dot com  
Summary: Another way 'Chosen' could have happened.  
Rating: PG  
Pairing: Buffy, Faith.  
Distribution: list archives, my site, ask.  
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own these characters.  
for Kelly. thanks to Cim for beta.

 

Buffy wasn't looking to die again. She gathered her  
people, and told them that in all likelyhood they  
would all die. She took Dawn by the hand and asked her  
to go with Giles, back to England, far away from  
Sunnydale. Every body chose to stay.

Willow thought up a spell to make the First Evil  
corporeal, and when this gambit succeeded the First  
Evil turned into a five-headed dragon which ate two  
potentials and trampled a few others before it was  
killed.

It probably wasn't used to having a body of its own.

By then, the Hellmouth had ruptured wide, and when the  
amulet Spike bore began to glow, Buffy knew it was  
time to get her people out of there. The trouble was  
that most everyone was dead by then. All the  
potentials were lying in bloody pieces around the  
cavern. The earth began to shake. 

"Buffy," Faith cried. Hearing her name called by the  
familiar voice, she ran to follow it at the urging of  
Spike's final nod.

There was no more time for speeches.

In the hallway, she (and Faith) passed through the  
rest of the contingent: Anya, Andrew, and Xander over  
by the trophy cases; Dawn and Willow near a skylight;  
Giles and Robin in another corner with the biggest  
slough of dead Bringers surrounding them.

Obviously, Willow's attempt at giving the Potentials  
their share of undiluted Slayer power hadn't worked.  
Turning the First Evil into a five-headed corporeal  
hellbeast must have taken too much out of her.

"I think the Hellmouth's caving in," Faith said, when  
another massive shakeup began to crack the ceiling and  
the walls. They ran.

\--

As she cranked the motorcycle to the fastest it could  
go, Faith could think of nothing but the desire to  
beat the crumbling pavement beneath her. She wanted to  
live. She figured she could think of a couple of  
reasons why, if pressed. 

As the roar behind them grew louder, Buffy tightened  
her arms around Faith's waist.

They did not stop to look at the crater, fearing it  
would continue to grow larger faster than they could  
get away. 

They stopped by a nameless little inn that had a sign  
which simply read "ROOMS." The manager, a short,  
mostly bald man with white tufts of hair above his  
ears, was sitting in a lawn chair smoking a cigar. He  
greeted them with a "Howdy."

"I've got credit," Buffy said. "But I've lost my  
wallet. Can I use your phone?" 

"My name's Ed. What's your name?" They entered the  
inn. It was only a one-story. faith was putting the  
bike out back. 

"Buffy." 

"Well, Buffy, I reckon you're coming from Sunnydale?"

She nodded. He looked through a corner of his desk and  
came up with a business card. "Here's the number of  
the branch you're looking for," Ed said. 

"I want to call the California headquarters." He gave  
her the phone book, and gestured at the phone. 

They got a single. Ed offered them the microwave and  
TV dinners at five bucks a pop, but neither was  
hungry. 

Faith took a shower first. When she came out of the  
bathroom she realized that she had no fresh change of  
clothes, so she decided to stay naked. There was no TV  
in the room. There was a radio, but Faith didn't want  
to bother getting up. She was suddenly very tired.

Buffy stepped out of the shower, wringing her hair and  
then towelling dry before coming to the same  
realization that Faith had come upon fifteen minutes  
before her. She, too, decided to stay naked because it  
was the most sensical, comfortable solution.

At first Buffy thought Faith was asleep. She wasn't.  
She kept her arms open for Buffy to crawl into. Faith  
didn't cry, because she couldn't (yet), and anyway  
this way Buffy could cry first, which she did, and  
Faith was very glad about that, that Buffy could.

Buffy cried for a very long time.

They slept for many hours, and then they put their  
messed up clothes back on, dirty underwear,  
bloodstains and everything.

Ed offered them pancakes free of charge, which they  
ate gratefully with maple syrup and drank down with  
tap water.

Buffy made a quick phone call to L. A. It was also  
free.

Faith took the bike from around the back and nodded at  
the manager. She was glad he didn't turn out to be  
another demon she'd have to kill. 

Buffy pursed her lips into an almost-smile. She got on  
the bike behind Faith, who kick-started the engine.

"Glad to have you girls drop by." Smiling, Ed waved  
them off. 

"You know, the both of you really ought to get some  
helmets."


End file.
